Politics, factional conflict and other reasons behind the killings in Narsingdi

Killings continue unabated in Narsingdi. Four members of the same family in the district were killed by rival groups. The first of these killings was in 1972 and the last in 2023. Political conflict and struggle for territorial dominance lie behind these killings taking place over a span of five years. In addition, disputes over land, factional rivalries, family feuds and other seemingly trivial reasons have also led to bloodshed. According to police records, more than 1,500 people have been killed in the district over the past 20 years.

The family that lost four of their members are the Khans on Shibpur upazila. In 2023 Harunur Rashid Khan was killed. He was the chairman of Shabipur upazila. The first member  of this family to be killed was Muktar Khan, in 1972. He was Harunur Rashid's cousin. In the mid-eighties, two other cousins of Harunur Rashid -- Saju Khan and former member of parliament Rabiul Awal Khan (Kiran) -- were killed. Saju Khan was the acting chairman of Dulalpur union parishad. He was killed in 1985. The next year Rabiul Awal Khan was killed.

Prothom Alo investigations reveal that all four were killed at the hands of Awami League leaders and activists. Ironically, the Khan family themselves were involved in Awami League politics. Prothom Alo spoke separately to three members of the family. They said their family had been targetted over political conflict and turf control. Sarbahara Party terrorists were used in two of these incidents. The family said that they have not received justice of these killings.

Although a verdict was delivered in the murder case of former member of parliament Rabiul, the family claims that justice was not served. Eighteen years after the incident, the court sentenced one person to death, but he died before the sentence could be carried out.
An analysis of investigative findings reveals that most of the high-profile killings, driven by political conflict, occurred in Narsingdi town and Shibpur upazila. Political killings have also taken place in Palash upazila. Additionally, in the 11 union areas of Meghna's char region in Sadar and Raipura upazilas, killings frequently occurred due to factional disputes and struggles for dominance.

According to the police, Narsingdi records the highest number of killings among the 13 districts of Dhaka division. Over the past 20 years, more than 1,500 people have been killed in the district. In the first four months of this year alone (January–April), at least 39 people were murdered.
According to data of the past six years, other than Narsingdi, districts in Dhaka division reported an average of 54 murders per year. In contrast, the number in Narsingdi stands at 75. In other words, the rate of killings in Narsingdi is about one and a half times higher than in other districts under the Dhaka range.

During their investigation into the killings in Narsingdi, the correspondents spoke to victims’ families, members of the administration, politicians, civil society representatives, teachers, lawyers and people from various walks of life. The information gathered indicates that, since independence, the list of murder victims in Narsingdi includes 2 members of parliament, 1 upazila chairman, 1 pourashava mayor and 15 union parishad (UP) chairmen. In addition, UP members, political activists, labour leaders, businessmen, and notorious criminals have also been killed. Of all the politically motivated murders, only two have been brought to trial.

Ariful Islam Mridha, a politician active in Narsingdi for four decades and former chairman of Shibpur upazila, told Prothom Alo that the ongoing pattern of killings is a result of the arbitrariness and corruption of political leaders. He believes that strong political will could put an end to the violence.

Inquiries at a local level reveal that in the span of 18 years from 1972 to 1989, the Purbo Banglar Sarbahara Party wielded significant influence in various parts of the district, including Shibpur, Monohardi, and Belabo. During that time, numerous people including political activists, were killed in the name of the party.

The most talked-about murder in the post-independence period was that of Gazi Fazlur Rahman, the then member of parliament from Belabo–Monohardi. In 1974, he was shot dead by members of the Sarbahara Party.
Recently, a visit to Fazlur Rahman’s ancestral home in Nowadia village of Monohardi found no one present. Locals said none of his children live there anymore.

His son, Gazi Selim, who once worked as a contractor and now lives in Dhaka, spoke to Prothom Alo over phone on 6 May. He recalled that the police had visited their house after his father’s killing. That is one of his faint memories. His father was murdered because of his political involvement. Selim said that is why none of them pursued politics.

In 1986, former MP Rabiul Awal Khan of the Khan family in Shibpur was murdered. He was a central committee member of the Jubo League. After the formation of BKSAL, he served as joint secretary of the district unit and later as vice-president of the district Awami League. According to his family, he was killed due to infighting within the Awami League. They claim Sarbahara Party men were used to carry out the killing.

From 1972 to 1989, more than a hundred people in Narsingdi, like Rabiul, were killed by members of the Purbo Banglar Sarbahara Party, according to two former members of the organisation. They claimed these individuals were identified as "class enemies" and killed accordingly.

In the post-independence period, political rivalries and local feuds also claimed many lives. On 26 September 1972, Sirajuddin Ahmed (also known as Naval Siraj) was shot dead in the Panchdona area. He had been awarded the title of Bir Protik for his valiant role in the liberation war.

Sirajuddin’s son, Moazzem Hossain, who is now a police inspector, told Prothom Alo over the phone that his father joined the National Awami Party (NAP) led by Maulana Bhasani after the liberation war. This enraged Awami League leaders and activists, who, according to him, were responsible for the killing.

Moazzem Hossain said that when his father was murdered, there was no scope to seek justice due to the prevailing circumstances. So many years later, he no longer expects it.

Nibaran Roy, who has been working as a journalist in Narsingdi for five decades, told Prothom Alo that there is a long history of killings in Narsingdi. After independence, many were killed by the Sarbahara Party. Even today, Narsingdi remains in the spotlight for killings rooted in political rivalry, power struggles, and factional conflict.

A report published in Prothom Alo on 17 January 2004, was headlined: “Three years on, Mishri Begum still awaits justice for her son’s murder.” On 1 January 2001, Mishri Begum’s son, ward councillor Manik Mia, was shot dead in Narsingdi town.

Following that report, Mishri Begum lived another 11 years. She did not live to see justice for her son’s murder. Over a decade has passed since her death, yet the trial in Manik’s murder case remains unfinished.

The prime accused in Manik’s murder was Lokman Hossain, then general secretary of the district unit of the Chhatra League. He later became mayor of Narsingdi municipality. In November 2011, while Mishri Begum was still alive, mayor Lokman Hossain himself was murdered. That case, too, remains unresolved.

Prothom Alo spoke to three local Awami League leaders about the two murders. They said both killings were used politically. Manik’s family was denied justice because Lokman’s family wielded significant political influence. Lokman had been a highly powerful figure. After his murder, his family leveraged public sympathy. His brother Kamruzzaman became the mayor of the municipality, and his wife Tamanna Nusrat became an MP from a reserved seat.

Lokman's brother Kamruzzaman is also accused in the Manik murder case. He went into hiding after the 5 August fall of the Awami League government. It wasn't possible to get any comment from him.
Manik’s brother, Amirul Islam, expressed his frustration, saying their mother passed away while waiting for justice. Due to threats from the accused, they were unable to even testify. He said he does not know if the trial will ever be completed.

In 1995, Masud Ahmed, the son of then BNP member of parliament for Narsingdi sadar, Shamsuddin Ahmed Eshaq, was murdered. The case drew widespread attention at the time. Those accused in the murder were involved in student and youth politics under the BNP's student wing (Chhatra Dal) and youth wing (Jubo Dal). In 2001, one of the accused, Abdus Salam, was sentenced to death. Six others were given life sentences. However, in 2004, all the accused were acquitted upon appeal to the High Court.

Among those who were initially convicted by the lower court, Abdur Rahman is now the general secretary of Raipura upazila BNP, Mohsin Hossain is the president of the Narsingdi Jubo Dal, and Hasanuzzaman Sarkar is the general secretary of the district Jubo Dal.
When asked about that incident which took place 30 years ago, Abdur Rahman told Prothom Alo, the case against them had been politically motivated. The court acquitted them as they were not involved in the murder.

Regarding Masud’s murder, his brother Harun-ur-Rashid, former joint convener of the district BNP, did not want to speak in detail. He only said that they had forgiven the accused.

Over the past three decades, Prothom Alo spoke to the families of six Awami League and five BNP members who were victims of political killings. They expressed doubt over the future of the cases, citing prolonged delays in trials, political pressure and a lack of witnesses.

Abdul Based Bhuiyan, former joint convener of the district BNP and Public Prosecutor (PP) at the Narsingdi District and Sessions Judge Court, told Prothom Alo that political motives are often involved in the filing of political murder cases. As a result, in addition to those actually involved, opponents are also falsely implicated. This discourages witnesses from coming forward, and as a result, justice is not properly served in such cases.
Victims become accused

Even after the fall of the Awami League government following the July mass uprising, the situation in Narsingdi has changed little. In May 2023, Sadiqur Rahman, former joint convener of the district Chhatra Dal, was killed in an attack. Following his murder, the naming of BNP leaders as accused has put his family in a difficult position.

Five of Sadiqur’s brothers have been made accused in murder cases related to the July uprising. Among them is Faruk Hossain, organising secretary of the district Jubo Dal. Speaking to Prothom Alo, Faruk said that his family is involved in BNP politics. Yet, in four cases related to attacks and killings during the student-public protests, five of his brothers have been accused. His brother Altaf Hossain, the complainant in the Sadiqur murder case, has been in jail for eight months.

According to Faruk Hossain, those accused in Sadiqur’s murder are active in BNP politics. One of the accused is pressuring for a settlement. He is known to be close to Khairul Kabir (Khokon), the president of the district BNP, who is also named as an accused in the Sadiqur murder case.
Of the cases filed against Faruk and his brothers, details of three could be verified. In two of those cases, Faruk and all five brothers have been named as accused. In the third, Faruk and two other brothers are accused.

In one of the cases, the complainant, Amir Hossain, identified himself as a leader of the Sramik Dal (BNP’s labour wing). He told Prothom Alo that his cousin Jahangir Alam, also a Sramik Dal leader, was killed by a bullet during the protests. He said the case was filed in consultation with the district BNP president and that those responsible for the murder were named as accused.

Asked about the cases filed against Sadiqur’s brothers, district BNP president Khairul Kabir told Prothom Alo that the brothers must have been involved in the incidents in some way otherwise cases wouldn’t have been filed against them. However, he denied any role in influencing or engineering those cases.

During the Awami League’s fifteen and a half years in power, five former and sitting union parishad (UP) chairmen, one upazila chairman, and one pourashava mayor were killed in Narsingdi. All of them were involved in Awami League politics. During the same period, five leaders and activists of the BNP and its affiliate organisations were also killed.

A review of the cases reveals that these killings stemmed from internal party conflicts and local power struggles. The accused in the cases are also leaders and activists from the same parties.

Even after the fall of the Awami League government, killings over local dominance have not stopped. Since 5 August last year, three leaders of BNP-affiliated organisations have been killed in Shilmandi, Panchdona and Madhabdi near Narsingdi town. One of them was Alam Mia, general secretary of the Panchdona union Sramik Dal. On 18 December last year, Alam was shot dead during clashes between supporters of BNP and Jubo Dal leaders.

On 17 January this year, a young man named Manju Mia was killed in clashes between supporters of two Jubo Dal leaders over control of Shekherchar-Baburhat market. The two leaders involved in the rivalry are Iftikhar Alam (Babla), president of Meherpara union Jubo Dal, and Akram Hossain, joint general secretary of the union Jubo Dal. Despite multiple attempts, it was not possible to contact these two leaders for comments.

Most recently, on the evening of 15 June, two people were shot during clashes between two factions of the BNP near the Palash bus stand at the BADC area. One of them, student leader Ismail Hossain (26), died on June 21 while undergoing treatment.

Locals say Shilmandi, Panchdona, and Madhabdi are commercial hubs. The large wholesale market Shekherchar-Baburhat is also located in this region. There are ongoing conflicts among local power players over control and dominance of this old market. Since 5 August, leaders and activists of the BNP and its affiliates have been involved in clashes to take control of this area.

Khairul Kabir, president of Narsingdi district BNP, told Prothom Alo that the administration has been instructed to take action against whoever is involved. If any party members are implicated, organisational measures are being taken.

In various unions of Narsingdi Sadar and Raipura’s char areas, the main causes of violence are struggles for dominance and factional disputes. Most recently, on 25 June, a man named Zahidul Islam (35) was stabbed to death in Dairerpar village of Chandarkandi union in Raipura. His home is in Dighlikandi, Banshgari.

Police and locals say Zahidul was killed due to a conflict between the Abid Hasan and Abdul Bassed factions in Chandarkandi union. In this factional conflict, another man named Saiful Islam was killed on May 6 in Najarpur village of Chandarkandi.

Investigations reveal that for nearly 25 years, the Abid Hasan and Abdul Based factions have been in conflict and clashes in Chandarkandi Union. Killings have occurred. On December 7 last year, UP member Manik Mia and former reserved women UP member Kalpona Begum were killed in these factional disputes.

Multiple attempts to contact Abid Hasan and Abdul Based to hear their version of the incident failed, and their phones were found switched off.
Local sources say that in the last seven years, 66 people have been killed in the char areas due to power struggles and factional conflicts. Since 5 August, in just 10 months, 17 people have been killed. The factional conflict is growing day by day. No one knows where this will end.

Professor Jasim Uddin of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University lives in Banshgari union of Raipura Upazila. He told Prothom Alo that political leaders keep the char-area factional conflicts alive for their own interests. Moreover, firearms have entered the char areas. Earlier, conflicts involved sticks and spears, but now firearms are being used, leading to increased killings.

Narsingdi district is located in the basin of the Meghna, Shitalakshya, Arial Khan, Haridoa, Paharia, and Old Brahmaputra rivers. The distance from Zero Point in the capital, Dhaka, to Narsingdi Sadar is 52 kilometers. Owing to its riverside location and proximity to Dhaka, Narsingdi is known as a district rich in industry and commerce. However, since independence, the district has repeatedly made headlines for incidents of killings.

Superintendent of police for Narsingdi district, Abdul Hannan, stated that law enforcement agencies are making efforts to improve the situation.
Muhammad Suhrawardy, head of the political science department at Narsingdi Government Women’s College and a man from Belabo upazila, told Prothom Alo that killings have been ongoing in Narsingdi since independence. The causes of these killings are well known, he said, but there has been little administrative initiative to prevent them.

In most cases, victims do not receive justice. He believes that if the administration, local elected representatives, and political leaders are brought together in a coordinated effort, the violence and killings may begin to subside.